1994 BUICK CENTURY Owners Manual

Your Vehicle and the Environment
Proper vehicle maintenance not only helps to keep your
vehicle in good working condition, but also helps the
environment. All recommended maintenance procedures
are important. Improper vehicle maintenance
or the
removal of important components can significantly
affect the quality of the air
we breathe. Improper fluid
levels or even the wrong tire inflation can increase the
level of emissions from your vehicle.
To help protect
our environment, and to help keep your vehicle in good
condition, please maintain your vehicle properly.
How This Part is Organized
The remainder of this part is divided into five sections:
“Section
A: Scheduled Maintenance Services” shows
what to have done and how often. Some of these
services can be complex,
so unless you are technically
qualified and have the necessary equipment,
you should
let your dealer’s service department or another qualified
service center do these jobs. If you
are skilled enough to do some work on your
vehicle, you will probably want to get the service
information
GM publishes. You will find a list of
publications and how
to get them in this manual. See
“Service Publications’’
in the Index.
“Section
B: Owner Checks and Services” tells you what
should be checked whenever
you stop for fuel. It also
explains what you can easily do to help keep
your
vehicle in good condition.
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“Section C: Periodic Maintenance Inspections” explains
important inspections that your Buick dealer’s service
department or another qualified service center should
perform.
“Section
D: Recommended Fluids and Lubricants” lists
some products
GM recommends to help keep your
vehicle properly maintained. These products, or their
equivalents, should be used whether you do the work
yourself or have
it done.
“Section
E: Maintenance Record” provides a place for
you to record the maintenance performed
on your
vehicle. Whenever any maintenance is performed, be
sure to write it down in this section. This will help you
determine when your next maintenance should be done.
In addition, it is a good idea to keep your maintenance
receipts. They may be needed to qualify your vehicle for
warranty repairs.
Section A: Scheduled Maintenance
Services
Using Your Maintenance Schedules
This section tells you the maintenance services you
should have done and when you should schedule them.
Your Buick dealer knows your vehicle best and wants
you to be happy with it. If you go to your dealer for your
service needs, you’ll know that GM-trained and
supported service people will perform the work using
genuine GM parts.
These schedules are for vehicles that:
0 carry passengers and cargo within recommended
limits. You will find these limits on your vehicle’s
Tire-Loading Information label. See “Loading Your
Vehicle” in the Index.
0 are driven on reasonable road surfaces within legal
driving limits.
0 use the recommended unleaded fuel. See “Fuel” in
the Index.
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Selecting the Right Schedule
First you’ll need to decide which of the two schedules is
right for your vehicle. Here’s how to decide
which
schedule to follow:
Schedule I
Is any one of these true for your vehicle?
Most trips are less than 4 miles (6 km).
0 Most trips are less than 10 miles (16 km) when
outside temperatures are below fi-eezing.
The engine is at low speed most of the time (as in
You operate your vehicle in dusty areas.
You tow a trailer.
door-to-door delivery, or
in stop-and-go traffic).
If any one
(or more) of these is true for your driving,
follow Schedule I.
Schedule I1
Follow Schedule I1 only if none of the above conditions
is true.
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Scheduled Maintenance Services Schedule I
~
Follow Schedule I if your car is MAINLY driven under one or more of the following conditions:
0 When most trips are less than 4 miles (6 kilometers).
0 When most trips are less than 10 miles (16 kilometers) and outside temperatures remain below fr\
eezing.
0 When most trips include extended idling and/or frequent low-spee\
d operation as in stop-and-go traffic.
0 Towing a trailer.*?
0 When operating in dusty areas.
Schedule I should also be followed if the car is used for delivery service, police, taxi or other commercial applications. \
TO BE SERVICED
(See Explanation of
Scheduled Maintenance Miles (kilometers) or
Services Following Months, Whichever
Schedules I and 11) Occurs First KILOMETERS (000)
WHEN TO PERFORM MILES (000)
3
Item No.
Every30oOmi.(50@)km)or months 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1. Engine oil & Filter Change
5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60 65 70 75 80
3. Tire & Wheel Rotation &
Every other oil change 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2. Chassis Lubrication
every 15 ooo mi. (25 ooo km)
At 6 OOO mi. (10 000 km) and
or as necessary
4. Engine Accessory Drive
5. Cooling System Service"
Inspection
0 0 0
Belt(s)
Inspection* Every 30 OOO mi.
(50 000 km) or 24 months. 0
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TO BE SERVICED
(See Explanation of
Scheduled Maintenance Services Following
Schedules
I and 11)
Item No.
I
6. Transaxle Service
I
7. Spark Plug
Replacement*
3 100 Engine
8. Spark Plug Wire
I
10. Air Cleaner Filter
Replacement*
I
1 1. Fuel Tank, Cap & Lines
Inspection*?-
55 60 65 70 75 80
The services shown in this schedule up to 48 000 miles (80 000 km) should be performed after
48 000 miles at the same intervals.
* An Emission Control Service.
-f The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency or the California Air Resources Board has determined that the failure to perform this maintenance item will not nullify the emission warranty or limit recall liability prior to the completion of vehicle useful life. General Motors, however, urges that all recommended maintenance services be
performed at the indicated intervals and the maintenance be recorded in “Section E:Maintenance Record”.
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Scheduled Maintenance Services Schedule I1
I Follow Schedule I1 ONLY if none of the driving conditions specified in Schedule I apply.
TO BE SERVICED
(See Explanation of
Scheduled Maintenance
Services Following Schedules
I and 11)
Item No.
1. Engine Oil Change*
Oil Filter Change"
2. Chassis Lubrication
3. Tire & Wheel Rotation & Inspection
4. Engine Accessory Drive Belt(s) Inspection*
5. Cooling System Service*
MILES (000)
WHEN TO PERFORM
Miles (kilometers) or
Months, Whichever
Occurs First
or as necessary
Every
30 000 mi. (50 OOO km) or 24 mos.
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TO BE SERVICED
(See Explanation of
Scheduled Maintenance Services Following Schedules I and
11)
Item No.
I
6. Transaxle Service
7. Spark Plug
Replacement*
I 8. Spark Plug Wire Inspection*?
I
9. EGR System Inspection (2.2 L L4 Code 4
engine only)*?
I
10. Air Cleaner Filter Replacement”
I 1 1. Fuel Tank, Cap & Lines Inspection*?
WHEN TO PERFORM
Miles (kilometers) or
Months, Whichever Occurs First
I MILES (000) I .,
I KILOMETERS (000)
See Explanation of Scheduled Maintenance
Services Following Schedules
I and I1
Every
100,000 mi. ( 166 000 km)
Every
30 000 mi. (50 000 km)
See Explanation of Scheduled Maintenance
Services Following Schedules I and I1
Every
30 000 mi. (50 000 km)
50 75 62.5
a
a
a
a
The services shown in this schedule up to 45 000 miles (75 000 km) should be performed after 45 000 miles at the same
intervals.
* An Emission Control Service.
? The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency or the California Air Resources Board has determined that the failure to perform this maintenance item will not nullify the
emission warranty or limit recall liability prior to the completion of vehicle useful life. General Motors, however, urges that all recommended maintenance services be
performed at the indicated intervals and the maintenance be recorded in “Section E:Maintenance Record”.
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Explanation of Scheduled Maintenance
Services
Below are explanations of the services listed in Schedule
I and Schedule
11.
The proper fluids and lubricants to use are listed in
Section D. Make sure whoever services your vehicle uses
these. All parts should
be replaced and all necessary
repairs done before you or anyone else drives the vehicle.
NOTE: To determine your engine’s displacement and
code, see “Engine Identification” in the Index.
1. Engine Oil and Filter Change* -- Always use SH
or SG Energy Conserving I1 oils of proper viscosity.
The
“SH or SG’ designation may be shown alone or
in combination with others, such as “SH/CD’ or
“SH, SG, CD,” “SG/CD,”etc. To determine the
preferred viscosity for your vehicle’s engine (e.g.,
SAE 5W-30 or SAE 10W-30), see “Engine Oil” in
the Index.
2. Chassis Lubrication -- Lubricate the transaxle shift
linkage, parking brake cable guides, underbody
contact points and linkage. If your vehicle is equipped with grease fittings, lubricate the suspension and steering linkage. 3.
Tire and Wheel Rotation and Inspection -- For
proper wear and maximum tire life, rotate your tires
following the instructions in this manual. See “Tires,
Inspection
& Rotation” in the Index. Check the tires
for uneven wear or damage. If you see irregular or
premature wear, check the wheel alignment. Check
for damaged wheels also.
4. Engine Accessory Drive Belt(s) Inspection --
Inspect the belt(s) for cracks, fraying, wear and
proper tension. Replace as needed.
5. Cooling System Service* -- Drain, flush and refill
the system with new or approved recycled coolant
conforming to GM Specification 1825M. Keep coolant
at the proper mixture as specified.
See “Coolant” in the
Index.
This provides proper freeze protection and boil
protection, corrosion inhibitor level and maintain
proper engine operating temperature.
Inspect hoses and replace if they are cracked,
swollen or deteriorated. Tighten screw type hose
clamps. Clean the outside of the radiator and air
conditioning condenser. Wash the pressure cap and
neck
To help ensure proper operation, we recommend a
pressure test
of both the cooling system and the
pressure cap.
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